Pepper Group turned 25 years old recently. As I was looking back, I created a list of the most important things I have learned about marketing. This month, I have two great cyber tips for you.

Throughout the year Tim will be posting more of his top 25 pieces of marketing advice.

Start with a Great Website

It’s a web-centric world; consider the web your showroom. Think of a conventional bricks and mortar store. You walk in and a clerk asks you, “Is there anything I can help you with?” and you say, “No thanks, just looking.” That’s what happens on your website—except instead of a clerk, a customer might chat with an interactive chatbot instead. The visitors are there to shop for something: a new supplier, a new job, some information, etc. An assistant looks for “five contractors who can do ______.” Will they read for hours to find the information they crave? Rarely. Make sure the user experience is well-designed, allowing the visitors to quickly find the answers they need to engage with your brand and people.

Optimize for Mobile

Around 70% of all web traffic is being done on a mobile device. Your visitors want a fluid experience that delivers your information easily and efficiently. If 8-out-of-10 visitors are looking for your address, make sure it’s available on the first screen they see. Copy too small? Long load times? Are pages not flowing properly? Can they connect with someone quickly through an email link, phone number or chatbot? Unfortunately, public service announcements notwithstanding, they are on the go and need to access your site quickly and efficiently. Make it so.